D. Yanagihara et M. Udo, CLIMBING FIBER RESPONSES IN CEREBELLAR VERMAL PURKINJE-CELLS DURING PERTURBED LOCOMOTION IN DECEREBRATE CATS, Neuroscience research, 19(2), 1994, pp. 245-248
We recorded spike potentials from Purkinje cells in the lateral vermis
of lobule V in cat cerebellum, and found significant enhancement in c
limbing fiber discharges during perturbed locomotion. Five adult cats
were decerebrated at a precollicular level, and 4-5 days thereafter, t
hey were mounted on a treadmill. During stable locomotion at 36 cm/s b
elt velocity, climbing fiber responses were slightly modulated with a
weak increment at the swing phase of the ipsilateral forelimb. When th
e left contralateral forelimb alone was suddenly imposed with a faster
belt velocity of 61 cm/s, the occurrence of the climbing fiber discha
rges was significantly enhanced during the late swing phase of the ips
ilateral forelimb. This observation is in accordance with the general
notion that climbing fiber responses represent error signals in contro
l of movements.